LOS ANGELES -- For as long as Mookie Betts has been a Dodger, he has tried to find ways to make an impact off the field.
Betts and his wife, Brianna, had already been involved in community work when they were in Boston, but following Betts' trade to L.A. ahead of the 2020 season, they had a brand new city to get to know. It started small, with gestures to help homeless people near where they lived.
"I remember many nights, me and Bri going to drop off food. But nobody knew," Betts said. "We're not doing that for press or anything. But I just remember that was kind of the beginning of us getting involved in the community."
Known as one of the hardest-working players in baseball, Betts' efforts only expanded from there. His work with his 5050 Foundation has led to him being recognized as the 2025 winner of the Roberto Clemente Award, which was announced ahead of World Series Game 3 on Monday at Dodger Stadium.
"It means a lot," Betts said. "Life is about more than what you do, I think, as far as work. It's about how you affect people. People always remember how you make them feel. So I know we live by that."
Considered one of the highest individual honors in baseball, the Clemente Award annually recognizes a Major Leaguer who best represents the values of the late, great Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente: extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions both on and off the field.
Betts is the fourth Dodger to win the leaguewide award, joining Justin Turner (2022), Clayton Kershaw (2012) and Steve Garvey (1981).
"This is a huge honor. I think every athlete will say they're people first and playing baseball is what he does for a living," manager Dave Roberts said. "But a humanitarian award like this … to get this Roberto Clemente Award is quite the achievement."
Betts and Brianna founded the 5050 Foundation in 2021. The organization's mission is to help the youth in their communities -- Los Angeles and Nashville, Tenn. -- develop resources for success, based around four pillars: physical fitness, mental and emotional health, nutrition and financial literacy.
Since then, the foundation has spread a wide net when it comes to finding causes close to the Betts' hearts.
"We go off of our feel and joy in seeing the kids," Brianna said. "We have requirements of course, but we go off of what we feel in the community, when we're in that space, and taking that moment in. We feel things from the kids, and they ask us questions, and they're involved and that makes us want to get involved."
This year, the 5050 Foundation was part of the wildfire relief effort in the L.A. area, donating more than $30,000 of Nike clothing to victims. The 5050 Foundation also partnered with the Dodgers Foundation to donate more than $160,000 to Brotherhood Crusade, which works to help fight hunger and homelessness in L.A. In June, the foundation provided financial support and resources to an Altadena family who lost their home in the Eaton Fire.
Betts and the 5050 Foundation continued working with schools, partnering with the Obama Foundation to donate sports equipment to Hyde Park Academy in Chicago and setting up an academic challenge with L.A. Unified School District. They have continued to work with UCLA Children's Hospital, where their "Betts on Us" fund helps families with pediatric patients access quality healthcare.
In Nashville, Betts funded the Mookie Betts Metro Baseball Tournament. He also continued his work with "Team Mookie," an Amateur Athletic Union boys' basketball team, and has now helped fund six AAU teams in the Nashville region.
Betts is also a regular participant in the Dodgers' community initiatives. He invited the Baseball Generations organization to the ballpark for Juneteenth educational programming and a game. Around the same time, Betts hosted an inaugural celebrity softball game ahead of Black Heritage Night as part of an effort to grow the game with Black players and fans.
The work has helped Betts feel fulfilled in a trying year, one that began with him losing around 18 pounds due to an illness and going through a prolonged slump at the plate as a result. Being able to use his platform for good, regardless of how he's playing, has helped to set him at ease.
"It's really cool just to be able to hold up this award," Betts said, "and to know that this had nothing to do with baseball."